Improvement in desulphurizing and disentegrating ores



v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. MINTHORN.

I Desulphurizing and Disintegrating Ores. NO- 52,8 5- Patented I -'eb. 27, 1866.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2. D. MINTHORN.

De uIphuriZ ing and Disintegrating Ores. I

No. 52,875. I Patented Feb. 27, 1866.

Nrren STATES rrrcn.

ATENT DANIEL MINTHORN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN DESULPHURIZING AND DISENTEGRATING ORES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,875, dated February 27, 1866.

To all whom iii-may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL MINTHORN, of the city, county, aud'State of New York have invented a newand ImprovedProcess, which Icall an- IsomericDia-phragm Process, for Deoxidizing, Desulphurizing, and Disintegrating Mineral Ores and Books; and I do herebydeclare that the followingin a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which represent the furnace by which I prefer to carry out my in vention.

111 my improx ed furnace I employ a receptacle containing the material to be treated in a distinct and separatechamber from the one in which the heat is' generated, but which is connected with such chamber by passages, which may be opened and closed by dampers as the various stages of the process require, and so that the escapii'ig products of combustion and gases may be thrown into and among the material to be treated, or pass through a separate and distinct exit-flue into the chimney above.

Within the chamber in which the ore is treated is hung or placed the basket-shaped ore-receptacle. This receptacle maybe stationary or made to rock upon trunnions, and has apertures in the sides or bottom. which apertures may be made of any form or style so that they allow the passage of the gases used for treating ores or minerals, to pass into and through the receptacle and material. I

arrange below the basket-shaped ore-receptacle a series of brick flues so located that when placed they shall form a chimney the sides of which are nearly parallel to the basket, and from which fines the heat and gases shall pass to the chamberunderneath the receptacle.

. I place in this furnace my improved apparatus intervening chamber or diaphragm between the fire-chamber and the mineral ores to be treated. I fill the intervening chamber or diaphragm with iron borings, filings, scraps, 850., using cast-iron by preference; but any other substance may serve, whether very finely divided or not, which will absorb or appropriate oxygen from steam and leave the hydrogen and products of combustion to be used in treating the orcs. I prefer to make this chamber in thet'orm of a hollow square or of a circular belt. When such form is not adopted, or even when it is, I introduce within the chamber hollow projections rising from below in a conical, cylindrical, or other suitable form, perforated at the sides. It" cylinders, they are by preference fire-brick seggars. If cones, I prefer to use thin cast-iron, perforated,as a core or lining. On these conical frames are placed. cones of plaster-of-paris with perforations corresponding to those in the castings.

In case the diaphragm is spacious the object of the cones is to keep the cast-iron borings from packing or settling down, so as not to obstruct essentially the superheated steam and deoxidized flame when passing into the receptacle where the material to be treated is placed. Another object of the cones is to produce side currents throughout the cast-iron borin gs, so as to pervade the diaphragm more perfectly.

By my improved process the hydrogen becomes most effective for disintegrating and desulphurizing mineral ores because the affinity of pure hydrogen for its atomical proportion of oxygen is so strong that it willtake up oxygen from out of the heated mineral oxides; hence it disintegrates the most perfect in degree of any process in use.

In order that others may understand and apply my invention, I will proceed to explain the same and to describe its construction and operation by the aid of the drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the apparatus on the line S S in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a ground plan of the apparatus in the same condition on the line L L in Fig. 1. In these figures the damper b is open, and the mineral ores are being heated by the flame of the furnace and superheated steam, which mingled currents are represented by the red and yellow colors and red darts.

Figs. 2 and 2* represent the same apparatus lines 0 0 are opened and b is closed.

- perforations.

in a different condition. Fig.2 is a section of the same on the line T T in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a ground plan of the apparatus when the Both these latter figures represent the damper I) as closed and the dampers c c as open, so as to let the superheated steam and flame pass through the diaphragm D, producing hydrogen, which is represented by the green darts. The flame and superheated steam in the chamber 0, before entering the diaphragm D, are represented by blue and red darts.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the drawings.

' The letter A represents the furnace or chamber in which the fuel is burned. A represents extra fuel to kindle the fire. A represents damper to extra fuel. a represents the ashpit. a represents the door of the furnace. B represents the fuelfor heating the ores by flame and superheated steam. damper to flue-chamber B. I) represents the handle of the damper b. 0 represents the line- -chamber between the furnace and diaphragm. 0 represents the dampers to chamber. 0 represents the right handle to damper 0. a represents the left handle to damper a. I) represents the walls of the isomeric diaphragm. D represents the diaphragm-chainber, containin g cast-iron borings,filings, &o. D represents azperforated cone of plasterjjfsupported on a perforated cone of iron, as before intimated. (1 represents the apertures or openings for the flame through the walls of the diaphragm. d represents fire-brick doors or openings into the diaphragm to be luted when closed. E represents an inclined wall-floor of fire-brick, formed with lugs resting on and overlapping each other, so as to shed, by their own specific gravity, the disintegrated ores or particles into the reservoir 41, the whole resting on the cast-iron and fire-brick cylinder I. e represcn ts the opening's between and through the inclined floor of fire-brick, with lugs for the flame and gas to pass through. F represents theiron basket containing the ores. f represents the openingsthrough the basket. F represents the ores in a heated state. G represents the receptacle-for the ores or minerals. G represents the chimney. 9 represents the door or opening to fill receptaclefifH represents the pipe communicating superheated steam. h represents the jet or distributer of superheated steam. 1 represents a casing of cast-iron covered with fire-brick, which forms a strong support for the central portion of the inclined fire-brick floor or funnel-bottom E, whilei and '13 represent thespaces at the base, as before explained, together with the particles disintegrated.

The base of the cone D is open, and it receives the gases and steam from O, and distributes the same in small streams through its Such cones are not so important when the diaphragm is in the annular or hollow form represented as when the diaphragm extends across the whole area; but in either case the iron borings are liable to b represents the pack down and form so thick and dense a body that the gases cannot well pass through, and the perforated cones D of which I can employ as many as may be preferred, greatly aid in reducing the thickness of the stratum to be traversed and projecting the gas laterally in all directions into the borings.

The basket F is capable of being readily removed and replaced in a manner not well represented in the drawings, but which will present no difficulty to skilled workmen, it being necessary simply to lift the warped or burnedont basket from the ledge or shelf on which-it is supported, and to remove it laterally and introduce another through'a large door in the side of G. (Not represented.) The form of this basket F presents the thickest mass of ore F near the center of the apparatus, where the reflection of the heat from the surrounding parts is most intense, and where the decomposed steam and other gases flowing through the apertures 6 through the inclined floor or funnel-shaped casing of fire-brick E strikes most directly. I propose in somecases to form the basket F so that it shall rest upon and be partially supported by the funnel E over nearly the whole of its surface. I can, if preferred, dispense with the basket F altogether, or reduce it toa mere apron of perforated metal or wirecloth, resting upon the fire-brick E, with a suitable door or stop for the hole at the lowermost point, through which the desulphurized or disintegrated material F can be discharged by opening the door.

To use my invention and process the fire is kindled in the ordinary way in the furnace A, and by the aid of the extra fine A, with the damper A open, the smoke and pyroligneous acid are made to pass 0% in the chimney without coming in contact with the materials or ores to be desulphurized and disintegrated. After the fuel is thoroughly ignited the damper A is closed and the damper b is opened. The damper A is closed and the damper b is opened, and the mineral ores F are heated by the products of combustion. When the ores F in the receptacle G have been sufficiently heated, superheated steam is then. admitted, through the perforated pipe h, from a generating apparatus, (not represented,) and the flue B, connecting the fire-chamberA with the ore-receptacle, is closed by a suitable damper, I), and the dampers c 0, connecting the firechamber with the diaphragm D, are then opened, and the nascent gases escaping from and produced by the admission of steam to contact with the glowing fuel, as before named, will pass into and through thediaphragm, forming hydrogen to be brought into contact with the ore or material placedin the receptacle above. The object of this diaphragm and the materials placed therein is to absorb oxygen and purify the hydrogen produced by the fire and superheated steam, for the purposes hereinbefore named. While 1 have herein described a 'kind of furnaceapplicable to the use of this diaphragm, I do not confine my application to the particular form or style of furnace described. I can obtain the advantages, in great part, by different styles, so long as thereisan intervening chamber, diaphragm, or purifier between the materials to be treated and the escaping gases produced by the combustion, hereinbefore named, with superheated steam.

Instead of the precise arrangement described my diaphragm D may be placed, if preferred, upon a bridge-wall of a reverberatory furnace having the plane of its sides parallel to the sides of the bridge-wall and perpendicular to the plane of the bed, or it may be made to rotate on any suitable axis; or it may be of other forms or shapes and located in other parts of the furnace, it being necessary simply thatthe gases produced bythe combustion hereinbet'ore named shall pass in to and through it.

I do not confine my improvement to the process of William E. Hagan, by passing the superheated steam through the fuel, though I prefer that style of furnace, but use it superheated over the fuel as well.

Fig. 3 represents a slight modification of the part E E. I consider this modification a desirable one in most cases. It is a central verticalsection. The portions which are made of fire-brick are marked E, and the spaces between 6.

Fig. 4 represents a cross-section of the diaphragm D and one of the cones D on alarger scale than in Fig. 1.

When steam is heated by intimate contact with the products of combustion, in the manner invented by Hagan and adopted by me, as, aforesaid, without actual contact with the fuel itself, it becomes intensely superheated and ready to undergo decomposition, but is not in a position to combine its hydrogen with the carbon of the fuel, because it is elevated out of contact therewith. It is in this condition that I present the steam to the iron filings, &c., in the diaphragm D, and the result is the absorption of the oxygen-from the steam, leaving the hydrogen pure.

My invention in the complete form here presented is superior to that of M. B. Mason, patented January 3, 1865, in the important fact\ that Mason depends on the carbon of the fuel p I do not claim as my invention the process when the gases mixed with steam are carried through the central spaces, 13, and thus presented to the ores F Without having passed through the diaphragm D. My peculiar method is only used when the passageU is open to receive the superheated steam.

I do not claim to have discovered that castiron borings sufficiently heated will absorb the oxygen from steamjnor do I claim the application of superheated steam as a disintegrater, deoxidizer, and desulphurizer 0f ores, except when the same has been previously treated as herein described; but,

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

The use of uncombined hydrogen at a high temperature, for the purpose of deoxidizing, desulphurizing, and disintegrating mineral ores by applying steam, either with or without 'the products of combustion, through a chamber containing iron turnings or other suitable absorbent of oxygen, in the manner substantially as herein set forth.

DANIEL MINTHOBN.

Witnesses:

EMIL VOSSNACK, D. W. STETSON. 

